Whoa: It's 2012, and the World's Most Popular Email Service Is ... Hotmail(theatlantic.com)
theatlantic.com
Whoa: It's 2012, and the World's Most Popular Email Service Is ... Hotmail
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/06/whoa-its-2012-and-the-worlds-most-popular-email-service-is-hotmail/259054/
13 comments
I would assume the author is using "user" as a way not to repeat "unique visitor" three times -- I mean, this is all in the context of comScore data, so it seems pretty obvious.
Also, I assume you won't be counted, because comScore is probably not counting mail protocol connections, but rather actual website visits. A POP3 connection wouldn't count as a "unique visitor" in my book.
So the article's data is probably fine.
Also, I assume you won't be counted, because comScore is probably not counting mail protocol connections, but rather actual website visits. A POP3 connection wouldn't count as a "unique visitor" in my book.
So the article's data is probably fine.
I have both a gmail and hotmail accounts and I use Hotmail because it works, gets less spam, and I think google knows enough about me as it stands. Gmail does have a nicer interface but that's about it IMO.
Does it really matter the amount of spam you get if you never see it? I have used GMail exclusively since it came out and I can't remember the last time I saw spam on my inbox. Also I have never had a problem with GMail wrongly classifying a legit email as spam.
I can see the desire to avoid putting more info in Google's servers as a reason to avoid GMail, but in the end you are just trading one mega-corp for another, it's all the same. And Gmail just works too.
I can see the desire to avoid putting more info in Google's servers as a reason to avoid GMail, but in the end you are just trading one mega-corp for another, it's all the same. And Gmail just works too.
That seems strange. I've had a gmail account since the first open days of the beta in 2004, and never get spam in my inbox. Their spam filtering works extraordinarily well for me.
Same for me. I'm far from a Google lover, but I opened my Gmail account in 2004 (when it was still invitation-only), and never, ever did I hesitate to put my email address even in the shitiest, scammiest sites/registration forums I see. Only about 5-6 spams in the past 8 years, an 0 false positives.
My previous experience with Yahoo (pre 2004) was much much worse. I haven't use Hotmail though, and as I seriously doubt Apple's technical skills when it comes to cloud services, I don't feel safe to put my @me.com address anywhere public.
My previous experience with Yahoo (pre 2004) was much much worse. I haven't use Hotmail though, and as I seriously doubt Apple's technical skills when it comes to cloud services, I don't feel safe to put my @me.com address anywhere public.
How do you count "getting spam"?
My gmail spam label accumulates about 14K messages a month (mail labelled spam gets automatically dropped after 30 days. I can't possibly guess if there have ever been any false-positives) I have another filter that I set up with certain key words like "unsubscribe" or "opt-out" that seems about 98% accurate in catching spam that gmail would otherwise push to my inbox, and that accumulates about 400 messages a month. Still, after all that, I'd guess I get about 10 pieces of spam in my gmail inbox every day.
I have a very common [email protected] style address that I've had since April 1, 2004. I pretty liberally publish my gmail address (it's posted on my resume and on facebook, for example) but I tend to only give it to very trustworthy app/website developers for account purposes, with a [email protected]. Some of them still sell my address, despite claiming they won't. I never sign up for marketing or contests or anything of that sort, yet I'm still about ready to walk away from gmail due to the spam. I think my biggest culprit is other people with the same name who can't remember their own address; I know when someone else goes insurance shopping, car shopping, home shopping, etc, based on the random influx of mail.
My gmail spam label accumulates about 14K messages a month (mail labelled spam gets automatically dropped after 30 days. I can't possibly guess if there have ever been any false-positives) I have another filter that I set up with certain key words like "unsubscribe" or "opt-out" that seems about 98% accurate in catching spam that gmail would otherwise push to my inbox, and that accumulates about 400 messages a month. Still, after all that, I'd guess I get about 10 pieces of spam in my gmail inbox every day.
I have a very common [email protected] style address that I've had since April 1, 2004. I pretty liberally publish my gmail address (it's posted on my resume and on facebook, for example) but I tend to only give it to very trustworthy app/website developers for account purposes, with a [email protected]. Some of them still sell my address, despite claiming they won't. I never sign up for marketing or contests or anything of that sort, yet I'm still about ready to walk away from gmail due to the spam. I think my biggest culprit is other people with the same name who can't remember their own address; I know when someone else goes insurance shopping, car shopping, home shopping, etc, based on the random influx of mail.
I guess I'm the only one that gets spam with Gmail. I receive about 15,000 spam a month of which 10-20 a day get through. Unfortunately my email address is in the JavaScript of a lot of websites due to a plugin I authored.
Not alone; I'm in the same boat, although I haven't done as much to get my address "out there"
Just checked; 718 messages in my Inbox and I have only used the account for Google docks so they are 100% spam. I even double checked the top 20 of them and yep all spam.
Go purchase a domain ($10/yr) and set up Google Apps for Domains. My old gmail account (that I only keep around because Google has a bad habit of launching a service not support Apps accounts for the first few months - need it to log in) gets a bunch of spam (the filter seems to catch it all the odd time I look).
However, the account at my domain gets almost none, even though I use it to sign up for everything. I'd honestly kind of forgotten that spam is a thing people worry about still.
I'd guess either the spammers figure @gmail.com addresses are more valuable, or they're performing some sort of dictionary attack against it which, of course, does not hit my domain.
However, the account at my domain gets almost none, even though I use it to sign up for everything. I'd honestly kind of forgotten that spam is a thing people worry about still.
I'd guess either the spammers figure @gmail.com addresses are more valuable, or they're performing some sort of dictionary attack against it which, of course, does not hit my domain.
We need to remember that Hotmail and Yahoo have a lot of worldwide users. I think these numbers are a little more accurate, considering Atlantic's reporting bias (page 20):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46245195/Strategy%20and%20governance...
Gmail is also probably growing, at least if we compare advertising growth rates. I don't actually have data for the mail services and I realize there will be discrepancies, but this is from a presentation some time ago for the above case that sort of visualizes advertising (mail) growth:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46245195/comp.png
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46245195/Strategy%20and%20governance...
Gmail is also probably growing, at least if we compare advertising growth rates. I don't actually have data for the mail services and I realize there will be discrepancies, but this is from a presentation some time ago for the above case that sort of visualizes advertising (mail) growth:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46245195/comp.png
Everytime I try to close my hotmail account I get an error from the website and give up.
We recently ran a pilot with some students from our 13 thousand student base. Our reports show: 69% Hotmail; 13% Yahoo!; 10% Gmail.
Similar results here, we're an university with about 16 thousand: 41% hotmail, 21% yahoo, 10% gmail.
I'm glad I don't live where you do. Seriously. I would hate to be surrounded by that many people who don't know how to look past their nose.
As opposed to being surrounded by people looking down their nose?
I suspect there's a strong correlation between the email account host and the place on the early adopter curve.
There's nothing wrong about wanting to live near other early adopters.
There's nothing wrong about wanting to live near other early adopters.
What?
This whole conversation is disgusting. It's an email account. But since it's ubiquitous and mainstream, now it turns into this weird cultural thing where we have to make sure we have the right email account, lest we look like one of them.
Repeat after me: it's an email account. Not a reflection on your identity.
This whole conversation is disgusting. It's an email account. But since it's ubiquitous and mainstream, now it turns into this weird cultural thing where we have to make sure we have the right email account, lest we look like one of them.
Repeat after me: it's an email account. Not a reflection on your identity.
It may be disgusting to you, and you may not understand what I meant, but I'm afraid, my friend, that doesn't change the fact that there are correlations between the choices you make and your socioeconomic profile. It's the whole basis of collaborative filtering. You like movie A, B and C and will likely like movie Z. You buy a Mac and are likely to book more upscale hotels, you keep an old yahoo or hotmail account and you're likely further down the adopter curve.
It's like when you visit a website and it's still using comic sans and looks like it was from the Geocities days, you form an impression. This is your brain do collaborative filtering. Same thing with email host.
Yes it's an email account, but they come in different flavors and some flavors are associated with the early adopter (cool kids) crowd (@gmail.com), and some are associated with their parents (@hotmail.com)
It's like when you visit a website and it's still using comic sans and looks like it was from the Geocities days, you form an impression. This is your brain do collaborative filtering. Same thing with email host.
Yes it's an email account, but they come in different flavors and some flavors are associated with the early adopter (cool kids) crowd (@gmail.com), and some are associated with their parents (@hotmail.com)
> Yes it's an email account, but they come in different flavors and some flavors are associated with the early adopter (cool kids) crowd (@gmail.com), and some are associated with their parents (@hotmail.com)
Unfortunately, the "cool kids" part gives you away. Like so many things in life, you win by opting not to play the [horribly broken] game.
Being secure in your identity means you don't have to partake in idiotic status signaling like this. Why? Because you just don't care about all the things you're told you should be doing in order to be 'relevant.' You're happy just to be you, and to do what you need to do. Culture still weighs on you, but it doesn't have to dictate your life. And you know what happens? Over time, people become more interested in you because of this. They may question you, but they may also envy you.
The path to discover one's true self is a lifelong journey, and I bid you good luck on it.
Unfortunately, the "cool kids" part gives you away. Like so many things in life, you win by opting not to play the [horribly broken] game.
Being secure in your identity means you don't have to partake in idiotic status signaling like this. Why? Because you just don't care about all the things you're told you should be doing in order to be 'relevant.' You're happy just to be you, and to do what you need to do. Culture still weighs on you, but it doesn't have to dictate your life. And you know what happens? Over time, people become more interested in you because of this. They may question you, but they may also envy you.
The path to discover one's true self is a lifelong journey, and I bid you good luck on it.
"Unfortunately, the "cool kids" part gives you away."
I am unsure of your intention here, but I think you are just not getting this at all. If you are assuming I am a cool kid then you are mistaken. I am a 42 year old software architect at a fortune 500 company.
I think you have this all backwards. Early adopters picked gmail (as did all their friends) not to signal, but because it was better, faster, more secure. Those that didn't and stuck with yahoo and hotmail (and who continue to have their accounts hacked) are perceived by others (no matter how secure they might be in themselves) as not keeping up.
Maybe an example will help, let's say you put your myspace account in your profile. You can be the most secure person on the planet, but people will look at your profile and a draw a conclusion.
"The path to discover one's true self is a lifelong journey, and I bid you good luck on it."
Haha - I think it's a bit of stretch to go from email host provider to some zen moment, but I guess you didn't really have any point to make, so resorting to condescension was the next best thing. :)
Now, let me get back to my Well account...
I am unsure of your intention here, but I think you are just not getting this at all. If you are assuming I am a cool kid then you are mistaken. I am a 42 year old software architect at a fortune 500 company.
I think you have this all backwards. Early adopters picked gmail (as did all their friends) not to signal, but because it was better, faster, more secure. Those that didn't and stuck with yahoo and hotmail (and who continue to have their accounts hacked) are perceived by others (no matter how secure they might be in themselves) as not keeping up.
Maybe an example will help, let's say you put your myspace account in your profile. You can be the most secure person on the planet, but people will look at your profile and a draw a conclusion.
"The path to discover one's true self is a lifelong journey, and I bid you good luck on it."
Haha - I think it's a bit of stretch to go from email host provider to some zen moment, but I guess you didn't really have any point to make, so resorting to condescension was the next best thing. :)
Now, let me get back to my Well account...
Ah sorry, didn't mean to be condescending. My beef (obviously) is with the downward perception of "not keeping up." I see it as unnecessarily judgmental, and I dislike people sticking up for it.
They sign-up to Hotmail because it is the easiest way for them to use MS Live Messenger which is where all their friends are connected most of the time. Gmail/Yahoo/XYZ is pointless for them because none of their friends are connected to those service's respective IMs.
It's funny. I get similar feelings with people that use RoR.
A lot of 90's kids who came online in the early 2000's (me being one of them) used MSN for instant messenger, and I still do to this day.
I use Gmail for email, the only thing my hotmail is used for is to sign into MSN.
I use Gmail for email, the only thing my hotmail is used for is to sign into MSN.
You can sign up for MSN messenger with any email address.
Aye I know, but back then there weren't that many other providers. I wasn't too interested in who my provider was and I was too young to remember the yahoo days, it was my first email account and I used it solely for MSN (and a game I loved) for years. I wonder how many of us there are inflating those numbers?
To me this isn't a surprise. It's anecdotal, but the majority of my social circle have hotmail emails. Followed by gmail and then Yahoo. So yeah, based on my experiences I would have assumed Hotmail is the most popular.
anecdotal: nearly every person in my contacts uses Gmail.
update: per the article, i'm one of those who has an "active" hotmail account, which i haven't used for e-mail for several years. i check hotmail once in a blue moon for stuff like Games for Windows Live.
update: per the article, i'm one of those who has an "active" hotmail account, which i haven't used for e-mail for several years. i check hotmail once in a blue moon for stuff like Games for Windows Live.
I've always hated the Hotmail e-mail experience, and I can't stand receiving e-mails in Hotmail. But I've been keeping the e-mail around for using with the MSN messenger.
I haven't been to that site in probably 15 years. This is about what I think of: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o1MzQ-TV5SU/SIk8yBmT1ZI/AAAAAAAAEM...
The red logo, a lot of blue over the right half of the screen and I could have sworn that the login was on the left hand side, that's how I remember it.
This is the hotmail that is basically, burned into my memory until my death: http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2006/1997-hotmail.jpg
The red logo, a lot of blue over the right half of the screen and I could have sworn that the login was on the left hand side, that's how I remember it.
This is the hotmail that is basically, burned into my memory until my death: http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/ne/p/2006/1997-hotmail.jpg
Given the headline from 2 days ago – "Facebook forces all users over to Facebook.com e-mail addresses" – isn't Facebook the world's most popular email service?
I have a reasonably popular app and I was stunned to see how much Yahoo and Hotmail addresses dominate. Very different from my friends circles.
Same thing here. And a lot of them can't spell hotmail.com. My app was having some many bounces that I wrote a function to detect and fix the 20 or so most common misspellings.
I sign up for most apps with my Yahoo account, because why should I give Random App my real email address? For the most part I don't care what it's emailing me, so I just need an address where I can go to click on the inevitable "activation" link.
That is why mailinator.com was created...
Spammers and 419 bots probably account for a good chunk of hotmail (and yahoo) usage.
It certainly is the most popular service for spam accounts registered to my company.
I expect that trend to continue and increase further once Windows 8 ships with Windows Live authentication (just as Google's Android ships with GMail authentication).
I have a hotmail account but i have not used it for years since gmail. So technically am I a user of hotmail ?
If you don't login, it's not counted. If you don't log in for over a year then the account would be deleted.
But if you forward it to say Gmail, then you count as a user (Gmail pings Hotmail for you).
Establishing a connection and doing the full successful authentication through a client, pop, or web counts as a login.
Incoming mail or a simple ping to the mail server won't counted as a user view. With all the spam, fake mails, and mail bomb pings, views would then report bajillions of hits and nothing would expire.
Incoming mail or a simple ping to the mail server won't counted as a user view. With all the spam, fake mails, and mail bomb pings, views would then report bajillions of hits and nothing would expire.
Notice the problem here? Maybe it's just an error on the part of the author, but if they're comparing "unique visitors" of hotmail.com to the published number of users of the other services, that's an apples to oranges comparison.
Also making this survey a little useless is the fact that many people are like me: I have a hotmail account from the olden days, and several years ago, I set it to forward to my Google Apps account, and it's probably going to stay that way until Microsoft goes out of business. So I'm listed as a hotmail user, even though I rarely give it much attention, and use Google Mail as my everyday tool.
Nevertheless, it's a catchy headline, and a good example of a platform long tail. Even though hotmail's sexy days are a decade or more in the past, it remains relevant because it's sticky, and even trend chasers like me continue to "use" it because my old hotmail address is still out there and continues to get mail.